Do you want to help your kids or grandkids pay for college when it's time for them to go? Or do you already have a Sallie Mae student loan that you'd love to get help paying for? Then, UPromise is perfect for you! It's a free program where you earn money for college just by doing the things that you are already doing - like buying groceries and toiletries, buying/selling a house, shopping online, etc.
As a SAHM of 2 children, I find it difficult to find the money to save for my boy's college (although I do also save on my own). I discovered the UPromise program about 8 years ago, and have earned $1,458 so far. I haven't done it all on my own, since you can invite friends and family to help you out. Both my parents and my in-laws also use UPromise to help send my boys to college. As you earn money, it is held in your UPromise account. Each quarter, your money will get transferred into your Upromise 529 account (you have to open that separately).
There are many ways to build up your earnings. How does it work?
- Shopping Online - when you shop online, simply go to UPromise's website first (or install the Upromise toolbar for Internet Explorer, and it will tell you when you are shopping on a Upromise website). You can search for either an item that you plan on purchasing or the store. Click through the link, and when you make a purchase the % earnings for that store will be deposited into your UPromise account.
- Ecoupons - Each month UPromise has some Ecoupons available that you can load onto your grocery/drug store loyalty card (I have CVS, Kroger, and Meijer). When you purchase that item, the amount of the coupon is automatically added to your college earnings without you having to clip any coupons (you do have to use your loyalty card at check-out).
- Grocery/Drug Store Savings - UPromise has several partners where you can get additional earnings when you shop at the grocery/drug store. For example, you get 3% back when you purchase Nestle products, 2% for Beech-Nut baby foods, 2% for Listerine, etc.
- Gas - When you purchase gas from Exxon/Mobil gas stations, you get a penny per gallon. You need to make sure that your credit card is registered on the UPromise site to get the rewards. Or, you can use a linked Speedpass.
- Upromise Credit Card - we signed up for the Upromise credit card and use it for practically every purchase we make (we get 1% of our purchases in UPromise earnings). We ALWAYS pay our balance in full each month, and it works for us, because we still have a budget that we adhere to. I keep careful track throughout the month of how much we've spent in each budget category through Microsoft Money. Having a credit card does not work for everyone, though.
- Other services - Get insurance quotes and save $5 through Liberty Mutual or $2 through Insurance.com. If you buy or sell your house through a Upromise-affiliated agent you earn a percentage of the home sale price. You can get a mortgage through Chase or Quicken Loans and earn 0.25% of your loan.
There are many additional ways to earn through UPromise. Check out their site for other ideas. Earning for college through UPromise works for me. It helps my family to save for my boys' future just by shopping, getting gas and other things that we have to do anyway. For more ideas that work for others, visit Rocks in My Dryer.
How do you save for college? Do you already use Upromise? If so, what are some of the best ways that you have found to save?
momstheword
It will be nice to have that help once your kids are in college. I wish we had planned ahead!
You may be able to find garage sale jeans that will be cheaper. I wasn't able to. Most of the jeans I always found were already worn out and had holes.
Savings Cafe
I have been signed up for Upromise for 6 months, I have all my debit and credit cards registered, also have a publix card, CVS card is registered and I haven't earned a dime, can you offer any tips or tricks?
Corrie at "Cents"able Momma
Make sure you add the Ecoupons into your account. I've earned money 3 times so far from the ecoupons. You might also want to take a glance at the grocery/drug items listed at their site (where you can get earnings), but I don't let that influence what I buy. I buy it if it's a good price and then happen to earn some Upromise money. Make sure you give your Publix and CVS card each time you shop or it won't register.
Also, if you shop at Exxon/Mobil or Bed Bath & Beyond, make sure you use one of your registered credit/debit cards, too.
I also used to do all my online shopping through Upromise. Now, that I've discovered other cash-back sites, I'll shop through Upromise, if I get the best % through them.
If you do use a credit card (and you don't get rewards for something that you'll use), consider getting the Upromise card. It just got switched to Bank of America from Citibank. I've earned a lot through that. My husband had a GM Card, but we've been buying used, so it wasn't doing us any good.
I also forgot to add Erewards. You can sign up for this survey company through Upromise. I think you get $2 automatically for signing up, and then the survey rewards can be used to earn Upromise $.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!
Cher
Wow you are doing great! I have belonged to Upromise forever and I only have $400. I am happy with that but of course more would be nice. No one is helping us though as our families don't use credit cards and/or the internet. Or they are saving for themselves! Oh well free money is still free money!
Savings Cafe
Thanks for the suggestions!!
Jennifer
Wow, I have been signed up for Upromise for years and I have about $18 in the account. You are doing great!
kristine
i've heard of this program before, but never had the chance to do it.
thanks for the reminder!
kristine